Drowner's Lung

Transmission & Vectors

Drowner's Lung is spread through bodily fluids. This includes saliva from shared water containers, airborne fluid from coughing, and touch from weeping eyes or sores. As a result it is incredibly difficult to contain once it becomes contagious. It can also be contracted by drinking water in which a terminal stage individual has laid, as their parasites will spread throughout the body of water.

Symptoms

The first syptom of Drowner's Lung is increased thirst, accompanied by increased water retention, leading to bloating. This is referred to as the thirst stage. This is soon followed by a wet, hacking cough and excessive watering of the eyes. This is accompanied by drowsiness, lethargy, and a decreased sense of danger. They also find themselves drawn to bodies of water, attempting to submerge themselves. This is referred to as the infectious stage. This rapidly progresses to visible swellings and weeping sores full of floating parasites, especially affecting the soft tissues of the victim's eyes and joints. From this point on the infected individual is generally helpless and largely immobile, however the infection somehow sustains the individual, keeping them alive potentially for years with limited access to food, so long as they have access to water. This is referred to as the terminal stage.

Treatment

If the infection can be identified before or during the thirst stage it can be suppressed almost indefinitely with the use of Feverleaf, either by drinking tea made from its leaves, or through inhaling the smoke created by burning its stalks. Suppressing the symptoms in this way also prevents the infected individual from becoming infectious and posing a danger to those around them. However, once the symptoms have progressed to the infectious stage administering Feverleaf in any form to the victim will instead result in the parasites in the victim's body attempting to burrow out of the victim's body, leading to an incredibly painful and drawn out death. The only known permanent solution is to excise the affected tissues. Depending on how far the infection has progressed this can result in anything from mild scarring to severe disfigurement. As the infection is spread through bodily fluids, this is a very risky process for the surgeon. The only individual known to have successfully completed this procedure is Michael, a former resident of Timberreach in The Swamps of Baycotte.

Hosts & Carriers

Drowner's Lung can infect any mammal who comes into contact with it, however in the case of any creature other than a human advancing to the terminal stage will result in their death once they reach a body of water - for some reason they are not able to be sustained by the infection in the same way as humans are. Drowner's Lung notably does not affect animals whose natural habitat is under water - fish, amphibians, etc.

Type

Parasitic

Notable Survivors of Drowner's Lung

Michael, a former resident of Timberreach now serving as part of House Southbay's staff. He is the only one to have successfully treated Drowner's Lung. His face is severely disfigured by his own treatment.
ser Elixon Flitch, ser Elden Nalor, ser Mannrel Peake, ser Derrick Quay, ser Margaret and ser Winward Rowntree, all of whom were infected during the Tourney at The Hollow at the beginning of 443KS.

Notable Casualties of Drowner's Lung

Elen, the Royal Historian of King Tyon I Cray. Elen was initially infected by ser Carsen Prester following his own infection as the King's party passed through Timberreach. Elen pioneered the technique of using Feverleaf to treat her own infection, preventing her infection from becoming contagious, however her supplies ran out some time before the Tourney at The Hollow. Upon arrival at The Hollow Elen initially quarantined herself in the castle's basement to prevent the infection from spreading, however she made the decision - probably influenced by the infection's affect on a victim's sense of danger - to leave the quarantine to assist in caring for those wounded during the jousting, spreading the infection to any knight who became injured as a result. As her symptoms had then passed beyond the infectious stage, her condition was more advanced by the time Michael arrived at The Hollow to treat the other victims there, and she unfortunately did not survive the excision process.

Known Drowner's Lung Outbreak Sites

Timberreach is the first known source of Drowner's Lung, with several infected individuals encountered and subsequently killed by King Tyon I Cray's party as they passed through. This led to members of that party becoming infected and spreading the infection to The Kingdom of Somercrag.
During the Tourney at The Hollow for the anniversary of King Tyon I Cray's ascension to the throne in January of 443KS a somewhat contained outbreak occured, however all of the resultingly infected individuals were quarantined in The Hollow, and subsequently treated by Michael.